We chat to Irish traveller Gareth Mccredie, 22, who is working in Australia as an administrative and projects assistant in the finance sector.
Hi Gareth. So, what job did you have back home? I was working as a payroll clerk in Dublin.
How did you land your new job? I applied for quite a few jobs on Seek and MyCareer before I arrived in Australia just so I had an idea what was on offer. I started getting phone calls within a few days of arriving here.
Was it hard finding a job in the office/admin sector? I have qualifications in business and administration so getting a job was not too bad. I think I went for four interviews and received two offers.
What are the good points about your new job? I like the Australian office culture, Friday night drinks etc! Also learning about policy and legislation which is of interest to me. I feel like the work/life balance is much better here than in Ireland. And the pay is much better here.
Any bad points? Of course there is office politics, although I am quite good at avoiding it.
Any funny stories to share? One of the older ladies in my office can’t always understand what I am saying because of my accent. She nods her head, and then normally asks me to repeat what I was saying. I am slowly picking up the Aussie accent.
Where to next? Apart from more travel, I would like to complete a Masters study, possibly an MBA here, although it’s quite expensive so we’ll see.
Any advice for other travellers? Confidence is important and a genuine drive to succeed in the administrative sector. I love Australia and hope to get residency here one day.
